Shattered
by kijani
Summary: Alice sees something that could ruin the future for Edward, Bella, and the Cullen clan, but her visions are subjective. Can they stop the tragedy before the world comes crashing down, or will they be too late? WARNING: Character death in later chapters. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Before I get this fic out, I would like to warn everyone that it's not going to follow the events of the books, although things will work themselves out through the plot. This is my first Twilight fanfiction, and I'm going to try something a little different. Bear with me, and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated.

**Summary:** Alice sees something that could ruin the future for Edward, Bella, and the Cullen clan, but her visions are subjective. Can they stop the tragedy before the world comes crashing down, or will they be too late? WARNING: Character death in later chapters. Rated M for later chapters.

**Shattered**

_Chapter One_

Bella knew that far-off look on Alice's face well. Her small hand reached across a table and covered Alice's colder one. Before she could open her mouth to ask what the tiny pixie-like vampire had seen, Jasper managed to beat her to it. Bella's gaze flickered from him to Edward when he asked his question.

"What did you see, Alice?" Jasper's voice was soft and calm, but his eyes told a different story. Bella could see the worry shining in them. The look in his eyes actually mirrored the look in Edward's. Whatever this was, it was likely that it wasn't good. Bella felt her heart speed up in her chest as she waited for Alice to speak. She knew that look, and she feared it just as much as her vampiric friends did.

Alice forced a deep breath, her gaze searching Jasper's for a moment before flickering to Edward. The problem with Edward was that he likely already knew what she was thinking. It was maddening sometimes, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Luckily, her adoptive brother hadn't spilled the beans just yet. Alice cleared her throat and looked up, the corners of her lips curling upwards into a small, bur forced, smile.

"It was nothing. Really." She was never really all that good at lying, but she knew that they couldn't talk about this here. The middle of the Forks High School cafeteria simply wasn't the place for such serious conversation. Alice looked up and met Bella's gaze, holding it for a bit too long. The human girl couldn't read minds like Edward, but she was perceptive, and she caught on easily enough. _Damn it_.

Bella pounded her fist on the table, drawing the attention of everyone at the Cullens' table, and a few pairs of eyes from neighboring tables as well. She didn't care about that, though. "You're lying," she accused, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're lying. I can tell. Besides, it's never nothing. We all know it. Seriously, Alice. What is it?"

The tiny vampire's jaw clenched, and she sucked in a breath through her nose before letting it out slowly. "If you're up for skipping your last class of the day, I think we should go home to talk..." she answered.

Bella felt a cold hand on her arm. She looked up and met Edward's gaze for only a moment before reaching down to the floor and snatching her book bag from beneath her chair. Without a word, she stood, pushed her chair back to the table, and glanced to the others. She was out of the cafeteria and halfway to her beaten up old pick-up before the Cullens finally followed.

"Bella, you can drive with me in the volvo if you want. We can come back for your truck later..." Edward's silky voice stopped Bella from inserting her keys into the ignition. She looked up, concern clouding her chocolate brown eyes, and offered Edward a small nod in reply. He opened the door for her, and a few steps later, she was standing at the passenger side door of his volvo.

The two of them rode in silence for most of the way. Bella's arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her gaze locked on the jeep in front of her that the other four Cullens were riding in. Finally, she broke the silence with an exasperated huff. "I know you know what's going on, Edward. You always do. And I know it's not nothing. It's never nothing. I just wish you all wouldn't..."

"We'll talk about it when we get to the house, Bella. No one is going to lie to you. I promise." He would have liked to _try_ to lie this time around, but there was no avoiding it. Beyond the fact that Alice wasn't very good at lying, this was just something that they couldn't keep from Bella. Not this. Not this time. Edward's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he rounded a corner, still following closely behind his adopted siblings. It was times like these that Edward really wished that he was able to glimpse inside Bella's mind. It was so frustrating not to know what was going on inside of her head, especially at times like this.

Bella nodded, pressing her lips into a tight line. As the Cullen residence came into view beyond the trees, she reached for her seat belt and leaned forward in the seat, her hands gripping the dashboard as her heart sped up in her chest once more. She was one step closer to finding the reason behind that look in Alice's eyes. Edward was out of the car and to her door before she even realized what was happening. He held out his hand to her and offered her a small smile. She took it, returning his smile the best that she could. All she wanted was to find out what all of this was about. Until then, she would be on edge.

It was hard not to noticed the hushed tones inside the Cullen residence as Edward let Bella forward by her hand. She couldn't make out what they were saying, and that made everything all the more frustrating. Nevertheless, she followed Edward without a word, her gaze fixed forward, her lips still pressed into a thin line. The room fell into complete silence as Bella and Edward made their way into the living room. That definitely wasn't a good sign, and Bella's unease only grew as she sat herself down on the couch, positioning herself between Edward and his sister Alice.

"What is it? What did Alice see?" She asked again, breaking the silence in the room.

Alice shifted her weight on the couch, and Bella crossed her arms over her chest. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, her heart pounding against her rib cage. The wait was maddening, and just as Bella thought she would begin pacing, she felt a wave of calm wash over her, and she relaxed against Edward, a soft sigh passing her lips. Jasper.

"Jasper... No _fair_..." she complained.

"Bella, we have a problem." Alice's voice cut through the air, and Bella shifted to meet the tiny girl's gaze. A problem? Bella would have voiced her concern, but before she could manage to form the words, Alice finished her thought. "It's Victoria."

Bella felt her blood run cold at hearing the familiar name. She'd met the vampire and her mate James shortly after she and Edward had started dating. After the Cullens destroyed James when he nearly took Bella's life, she had been waiting for news about the redhead. She couldn't even really escape Victoria in her dreams, although she hadn't shared any of that with any of the Cullens. Making them worry over nothing just didn't seem like a good idea. They already had a lot to deal with as it was, and they always seemed so concerned with her safety. She didn't need to worry them. Then again, Alice's vision did prove that her dreams, her fears, were warranted...didn't it? "V-Victoria?" Bella repeated, trying to hide the fear that had crept into her voice. She cleared her throat and looked to Alice for confirmation. "What exactly did you see, Alice?"

"Alice..." This time it was Edward who spoke. Bella shifted her gaze to him, her eyes narrowing.

"I want to know, Edward. You can't really protect me if you're hiding things from me."

"We shouldn't have to protect..." Rosalie interjected.

"Babe..." Emmett warned, his hand gripping her shoulder.

Carlisle cleared his throat loudly. He held Esme's hand in his own, but his gaze wasn't directed to her. Instead, he focused his attentions on Alice. "Alice... Tell us the rest. Bella needs to know. We all do." He spoke calmly, and Bella felt another wave of calm wash over her. She wasn't sure if it was the calmness in Carlisle's voice or Jasper again, but for the moment, she couldn't bring herself to care too much.

Encouraged by Carlisle, Alice looked up, her gaze searching her siblings' before settling on Bella. "My visions are subjective," she prefaced as she held Bella's gaze. "Remember that. They're subjective, so it could change. It could change." She reached out and took Bella's hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze, careful not to hurt the human girl. "Victoria's coming to Forks, Bella. She's coming to Forks, and she's planning something. Something big. Alice looked up, her gaze shifting to each member of her family individually. Rose rolled her eyes. Emmett leaned against the wall, his face set in a hard frown. Jasper shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Edward looked like he was in pain...but then again, when it came to matters involving Bella, he always worried. Alice's gaze rested on her adoptive parents, and she forced a sigh. "We'll do whatever we can to protect you and Charlie, Bella. I can't see what she's planning. She hasn't decided how she's going to do it yet, but it's not just you she's after. Not anymore..."

As if to confirm Alice's words, Esme offered a short nod. "Of course, Bella. We'll make sure you're well taken care of..."

"This is bullshit..."

"Rose!"

Bella ran her fingers through her hair and sucked in a deep breath, looking to Alice again. "What do you mean she hasn't decided how she's going to do it? Do what, exactly?" Bella tried not to let the panic seep into her voice, but it was getting harder and harder to do. The news that Victoria was back was bad enough, but knowing that she was planning something beyond Bella was worrisome. Was she planning to hurt Charlie?

"She wants to hit you where it hurts, Bella. She can't get to Edward. She knows she can't take the whole family on, and she'd have to go through us to get to him. So she wants to go for the next best thing..."

Bella's blood ran cold for the second time that day. _Charlie_. "She's going to try to get to Charlie?"

"The visions are subjective, Bella..." There was an edge to Alice's voice that suggested that she had seen more than she let on. Bella could hear it, but she wasn't sure that she wanted to know. "It might not happen. My visions aren't always accurate. You know that. I mean, look at what happened with James. I saw you change, but that didn't happen, obviously. There's no reason to worry. I can watch her. I'll know what she decides, and we can try to intercept her. Take her out like we did James before she can cause any damage."

Bella fell back against the back of the couch, and tensed for a moment when she felt Edward's arm curling around her shoulders. "We aren't going to let anything bad happen to you or Charlie, Bella. We will protect you. We'll do whatever we have to do until she is taken care of." Edward's promises calmed Bella a little bit, but she couldn't help but still feel a measure of unease. She turned to him and offered him the best smile that she could manage.

"Maybe I should have a talk with Charlie about everything..." she mused.

Rose let out a low growl. "Ours is not your secret to tell.." There was venom in her voice, and Bella shrank against Edward a moment, although her voice lost none of its sternness when she spoke again.

"What should I tell him, then?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Carlisle answered, quickly diffusing the situation. "We will handle this, Bella. There is nothing to worry about."

Bella had heard that before, and she couldn't help but chew her lip as she took in all that Carlisle had to say. Nothing to worry about. They would protect her. They would protect Charlie. But how could they do that, when Alice couldn't see everything? Bella's head hurt with the thought of it all, and she shifted uncomfortably in Edward's arms. When she looked up at him again, her expression was strained. "Alright. I trust you all. I... Take me back to my truck, please? I think... I think I need to head home."

Bella killed the engine of her old red pick-up and sat in the drive-way for what seemed like forever as her mind played over what she had learned at the Cullens' place. She knew from the moment that she'd seen that look in Alice's eyes that she wasn't going to like what she heard, but she was still glad that she knew now, that they hadn't lied to her. Still, the idea that Victoria was back, back and planning something, terrified her. She let out a heavy sigh as her gaze shifted to the front door of the home she shared with her father. She couldn't tell the Cullens' secret, and she couldn't warn her father, but she was certain that the Cullens would keep her and her father safe.

They had _promised_.

She made her way inside and up to her room. The house was empty and fairly dark, the evening sun the only light downstairs. Bella closed her door with a soft _click_ and fell back onto her bed. Before she knew it, she was drifting off to sleep.

That night, the dreams of Victoria returned in full force. Bella woke in the early hours of the morning with tears staining her cheeks.

_God_, she hoped the Cullens were right.

**A/N:** That's the end of the first chapter! There will be more to come very soon. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Anyone have any idea what our friend Victoria is planning? You'll find out soon enough!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Here's chapter two. I should be updating fairly regularly. Please update and let me know how I'm doing. This is my first Twilight fiction, so feedback is definitely appreciated.

**Summary:** Alice sees something that could ruin the future for Edward, Bella, and the Cullen clan, but her visions are subjective. Can they stop the tragedy before the world comes crashing down, or will they be too late? WARNING: Character death in later chapters. Rated M for later chapters.

**Shattered**

_Chapter Two_

The morning couldn't come soon enough. Bella stretched her arms up and over her head as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Charlie was sitting at the table, looking over the morning paper and nursing a cup of coffee and what looked like eggs. Bella yawned and folded herself into the seat directly across from her father. It had definitely been a long night with the dreams of Victoria and everything else that she'd learned floating around in her head all night.

"Bells, don't take this the wrong way, but you look like..."

"Like hell?" Bella finished for him, her eyebrow raising as she met his gaze.

He shrugged. "I wasn't exactly going to say that, but since you mentioned it, yes. Are you having trouble sleeping again?" Charlie wasn't usually the type to hover, but ever since the nightmares started after Edward and his family left Forks, he'd been more and more concerned about his daughter, no matter what she said to try and persuade him otherwise. Edward and the Cullens had long since returned and things had gone back to normal...for everyone except Charlie, who still seemed to be on high alert when it came to Bella.

"I'm fine. Just a little stressed is all. There's a big test coming up and I'm not sure that I'm going to do very well. It's really not that big of a deal." Bella handled Charlie the way that she usually did—by trying to play the whole thing off. Dealing with him had gotten complicated since Edward had come into her life. After all, she couldn't very well tell him the truth. Talk of vampires and shapeshifters was liable to land her in a tiny hospital room with padded walls...or back at Renee's house in Florida. Neither of those things could happen, so keeping the Cullens' secret was the top priority for her. That was especially true now. With Victoria planning something, the less Charlie knew, the better off he would be. At least, that is what Bella kept telling herself.

A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts, and she pushed herself up from the table and moved to open it. Edward greeted her on the other side, and she shot her father a quick glance before opening up the door to let him in. "I was just about ready to go," she explained quietly, grabbing her bag and taking a step towards the door. Edward offered a feeble greeting to the chief of police and cleared his throat. "Bye dad. See you tonight." Bella called, and she gently pushed Edward back out the door, following closely behind him.

"What did you tell him?" Edward asked almost as soon as the doors to the volvo closed.

Bella clicked her seat belt into place before glancing up to answer him. "I didn't tell him anything. I didn't think it was a good idea. Besides, I couldn't think of anything to say. He can tell I'm worried about something, though. I told him it was just a big test coming up at school. I hate lying to him."

"It won't be for long. We'll take care of her, Bella. No one is going to hurt you." Edward's voice always had a calming effect to her. Hearing him say that it was going to be alright almost made her believe it herself. The Cullens had promised to protect her, and she knew they would do what they could, but in the back of her mind, she still couldn't help but worry about it. What was Victoria planning?

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Did you hear a word I just said?"

Bella ducked her head and let out a soft sigh. "Sorry. I was just thinking..."

"You have nothing to worry about." Edward repeated, this time a little more firmly.

Bella shifted uncomfortably in her seat and stared out the window as Edward pulled into the parking lot of Forks High School. She had _plenty_ to worry about. Plenty. She didn't even really know where to start. She focused on Edward's words and tried to calm herself as best as she could. "I know..." she finally whispered. "I just... Let's go. We're going to be late for class if we don't hurry..."

Lunch that day went by in relative silence. Rosalie sat brooding with her arms crossed over her chest. Beside her, Emmett arranged the fruits and vegetables on his plate to form a makeshift hut on his plate. Jasper stared forward, his hand on Alice's knee under the table. Bella sat herself between Alice and Edward, her gaze dancing back and forth between the two of them. She still wanted to know more about what was going to happen, but there wasn't much that she could do about that. Alice's visions were subjective. That meant if nothing changed, she wouldn't see anything new. It was maddening, and Bella hated it.

"I want you to change me," she said, looking to Edward. Five pairs of eyes widened at her statement, and Edward's body stiffened.

Alice's voice broke the deafening silence that seemed to surround the table. "Bella, I don't really think that this is the time or the place..."

"Alice, we already promised the Volturi. You know what will happen if they find out I'm still human anyway, and I think with this whole Victoria thing it might be a good idea to..."

"Bella..." This time, it was Edward's voice she heard.

In response, Bella lowered her voice, but she didn't stop talking. "You know it's true. They'll find out and they'll take matters into their own hands. Or worse. What if Victoria gets her hands on me and then..."

Edward's low growl interrupted her tirade. "Enough!"

Several heads turned in the direction of the Cullens' table, and a silence fell over the cafeteria for a moment as the other students stared Edward down. Without a word, Edward pushed his chair back, grabbed his tray in one hand and stood from the table, pivoting on his heel and dumping his tray as he left the cafeteria. Bella watched after him, but didn't get up to follow. In the moments that followed, the Cullens stared down the human girl, their mouths slightly agape at what had just occurred.

"He knows I'm right," Bella charged.

Alice sighed and shook her head. "Bella, that's not really the point. You should really think about.."

"You should really think about what you say before you open your mouth," snapped Rosalie. "Your blatant disregard for your own life is absolutely disgusting."

"You know this is what I want, Rosalie." Bella defended. "It's all I've wanted for a long time. It's going to happen, anyway. We all know it. I just think that with everything going on, sooner might be better than later."

Rosalie's response was nothing more than an angry huff. Emmett placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, babe.." he whispered.

"Are any of you on my side on this?" Bella groaned. Her gaze flickered from Jasper to Alice and back again. Alice almost always took her side. She just hoped she had at least one of them on her side this time. She'd been thinking about it all night. She'd been thinking about it a lot longer than that. It seemed like the best course of action given what was going on.

Once again, Alice broke the silence at the table. "I can't wait for you to join the family, Bella. You know that. But at the same time, I see what this does to Edward. I just don't know. I mean, I see your logic, but I'm not even sure of what I saw. I think if we could figure that out a little more, maybe..."

Bella didn't let her finish. She downed the rest of her water and sighed, standing up from the table. "I should probably go find Edward," she mumbled. "I'll see you guys later today, okay?" With that, she was gone, taking off out of the cafeteria before anyone could say anything else to her.

"You know exactly why I'm angry, Bella." Even when he was furious, Edward's voice was strangely even. It was a little bit unnerving, especially when Bella was on the receiving end of it. "I can't believe you would even bring that up. I thought I told you we would handle everything? We will keep you safe, Bella. You shouldn't even be thinking about something like that..."

Bella stomped her foot. "I'm tired of you and your family putting your asses on the line for me all the time. You can't keep doing this, Edward. You can't watch me and my dad all the time. Hell, some of you don't even really _want_ to do that, and I can't even blame you. It's not your job."

"I love you. I'm going to protect you."

Bella groaned. "What if you can't? What if something happens? What if you get hurt? I don't think I could handle something happening to you..."

"You don't know that!"

The couple glanced toward Edward's door when they heard someone clear their throat. Carlisle stood there, leaning against the frame, his lips pursed into a thin line as he regarded the two of them. He remained there for a moment, completely silent while Edward and Bella stared over at him. When the silence had lingered long enough, Carlisle met Edward's gaze. His voice was soft when he finally spoke, so much so that Bella had to strain to hear his words properly.

"Alice has had another vision." He reported, and he turned on his heel and headed back down the stairs without another word.

Edward and Bella exchanged quick glances before following Carlisle down the stairs. The others were gathered in the living room, sitting in a small circle, with the exception of Alice, who was standing near the door. When she saw Edward and Bella, she let out a soft sigh. Seven pairs of eyes were on her as everyone waited for her to speak, waited to see what it was that she had seen. Bella's heart sped up in her chest as the silence lingered in the room. After a moment, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Edward's. She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself, but nothing seemed to help that. She had suffered nightmares the night before. She _wanted_ to know what Alice had seen. In fact, the missing pieces of the puzzle from Alice's first vision had been driving her up a wall since she'd heard about it. She needed to know. So, why was she filled with such a sense of dread all of a sudden?

Without a word, Bella made her way down the remaining stairs, distancing herself from Edward. She sat herself on the edge of the couch closest to where Alice stood and looked up, meeting the tiny girl's gaze and silently waiting for what she had to tell everyone. In an instant, Edward was across the room and sitting with her, his eyes clouded with worry and something else that Bella couldn't exactly identify. She wasn't sure what that look was in his eyes, but it worried her.

"Alice!" Bella finally groaned out. "What is it? Tell us. _Please_."

Silence hung in the air for a few more minutes, and Bella felt a strange wave of calm wash over her. Jasper, more than likely. She shot a glance in his direction and offered him the best smile that she could muster under the circumstances. Most of her attention was still trained on the pixie-like vampire standing by the door.

Alice bit her bottom lip. "Remember..." she whispered. "It could still change..."

"What could still change, Alice?"

Something strange flickered in Edward's eyes, and Bella suddenly felt unsettled. She shifted uncomfortably on the couch, her gaze searching Alice's and then flickering to the others gathered in the room.

"Victoria isn't only after Bella," Alice announced, her voice soft and calm. Her gaze met Bella's and she let out another soft sigh. "I've seen it. It's not just Edward she wants to hurt with this..."

"Charlie..." Bella mouthed. She had suspected as much from the previous conversation that they had, but hearing it all confirmed sent a chill down her spine.

"She's made up her mind," Alice continued, swallowing a lump in her throat. "She'll be here in a few days, and she's coming for Charlie and Bella."

Esme cut in before Bella had time to react. "Bella, we'll keep an eye on both of you. Alice's visions are subjective, remember? This could still change. We won't let anything happen to you or to Charlie."

Bella knew that, but the knowledge did nothing to ease the aching in her chest or the fear that washed over her like a tidal wave. She gripped Edward tightly, her fingernails digging into his arm. A soft pink tongue moistened dry lips as Bella turned her gaze to Alice once more. "How is she going to...?"

"No, Bella. We'll stop it. We'll take her out before she can get to you or Charlie." Edward said, a note of finality in his voice.

Bella shifted again, her gaze flickering over each member of the Cullen family gathered in the living room. Her gaze met Edward's last, and she cleared her throat. "I... I could help." she whispered, running her fingers through her hair. "I could protect myself and I could help you with Victoria...if you'd turn me."

"We won't have to..." Edward insisted.

"I've seen it, Edward..."

"We won't have to!" he repeated, raising his voice. "We can handle this. We can handle Victoria just like we handled James. Besides, I can't... Not yet..."

Carlisle cleared his throat, and all eyes fell to him. "We don't have much time to prepare if we go off of what Alice has seen," he said, his voice low, even. "Jasper, Emmett, and I will watch over Chief Swan. Bella, call Charlie. You can stay here over the weekend with Alice, Rosalie, and Esme. Edward..."

"I'm not leaving Bella."

"She will expect that the two of you will be together. It might throw her off the trail if you weren't here. You could take the volvo and..."

"I don't want to leave Bella, Carlisle."

"...Take the volvo and head north. We will keep her safe, I promise you. Just do as I ask, please..."

Edward growled, and Carlisle narrowed his eyes. After a moment, Edward sighed and turned towards Bella, taking her hand in his. "Everything's going to be alright," he whispered, and in an instant, he was making his way out the door. Bella watched him for a moment, her mouth slightly open, her heart pounding against her ribcage, and prayed that he was right.

**A/N:** There's another chapter. Remember, there IS a character death in this fiction. It will occur in the next chapter, so if you're uncomfortable with that, sorry. Please review and let me know how I'm doing. Thanks for reading so far.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Chapter three... Because I am stuck at a Greyhound bus station until the late morning hours tomorrow, I thought I'd go ahead and get as much of this done as possible. **There IS character death in this chapter. **If you don't like that, I'm sorry, but it works into the plot, I promise. Please review and let me know what you think.

**Summary:** Alice sees something that could ruin the future for Edward, Bella, and the Cullen clan, but her visions are subjective. Can they stop the tragedy before the world comes crashing down, or will they be too late? WARNING: Character death in later chapters. Rated M for later chapters.

**Shattered**

_Chapter Three_

Convincing Charlie to let Bella stay over at the Cullens was fairly easy. Despite his issues with Edward, Charlie Swan was quite fond of his sister Alice. All it took was a little bit of sweet-talking from Alice, and Charlie agreed to Bella's weekend away with little reservation.

Edward took off in the volvo and headed north as his adoptive father told him to do. He called Bella constantly, updating her on where he was every half hour or so. Alice was convinced he was just being Edward. Bella was convinced that he was calling to make sure she was still breathing. She wasn't really sure which one of them was actually right. Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper made their way into Forks to guard Bella's father. Now, they all just had to play the waiting game.

Bella hated this part.

Her phone rang. The caller ID read 'Dad', and Bella answered it on the second ring. "Hey dad," she smiled into the phone. "What's up?"

"Edward's not at this sleepover of yours, is he?" Charlie's voice was a little muffled through the receiver, but he came through clear enough.

Bella shook her head, despite the fact that he couldn't see the gesture. "No, dad. Edward's out with his dad and his brothers for the weekend. It's just us girls here." That was the truth, at least, even if most of the rest of what Charlie knew had been fabricated by Alice.

Charlie cleared his throat on the other end of the phone. "Oh. Well, good. I was just cleaning my gun and I got to thinking..."

"No, dad. Edward's not here. I promise." Bella laughed.

"Okay."

There was a short pause, and Bella took a deep breath. She let it out slowly, letting the silence linger between them for a moment. "Dad?" she whispered into the phone.

"Love you, Bells."

"I love you too, dad." she whispered just before the line cut off.

Standing directly behind her, Alice placed a hand on her shoulder and offered her a small smile. "Everything's going to be alright, Bella," she promised, her voice soft and musical like usual. She side-stepped and wrapped Bella in a hug, careful not to squeeze the mortal girl too tightly. "Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett would never let anything happen to Charlie. Besides, it'll be three against one. Once Victoria realizes she's outnumbered, she might back off."

"Yeah..." Bella breathed, and her gaze shifted to the floor. "I hope so. I just wish Edward would have listened to me. If you had changed me, I could be helping right now. I could be useful."

Alice shook her head. "No you couldn't. You'd be too busy writhing in pain to notice anything else, Bella. The change is awful. And besides, the thirst once you wake up... You would probably be more harm than good to your father like that."

"But Alice, you said you saw..."

"I said I saw it. But you know how my visions work. I've been wrong before."

Vampires don't need sleep. Humans, on the other hand, are a different matter entirely. Before Bella knew it, her eyes were getting too heavy to keep open anymore. She curled up on the couch in the Cullens' living room and fell into a fitful sleep, visions of Victoria haunting her dreams. She woke with a start several hours later, her eyes wide, her body covered in a cold sweat. Alice was standing a few feet away, looking down on her with worried eyes.

"Bella?"

"Just a nightmare, Alice." she whispered. "How are the others?"

Rosalie cut in. Her voice sounded surprisingly worn, yet it was devoid of its usual biting sarcasm. "They're alright. Emmett just called a few minutes ago. She hasn't been by your dad's house at all, but they're keeping watch." She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "I still think this was a horrible idea, but I know they've got things under control..."

"She's here. She's in Forks..." Alice's soft voice interrupted Rosalie, and she, Esme, and Bella all tuned toward the pixie-like vampire.

Bella's entire body tensed, and she felt a wave of nausea rush over her. She clutched her stomach and leaned forward, placing her head between her knees as she sat herself up. "Oh, god..." she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. Of course, in a room full of vampires, that didn't really matter all that much.

"It'll be alright, Bella." Esme consoled her with a hand on her shoulder.

Alice stood a few feet away. Her amber eyes were still focused forward, her eyes wide. She clutched the arm of the couch. Bella watched her with curious eyes, her stomach in knots and her heart pounding so loudly that she was almost certain she could hear it. She'd been in an similar situation before, with Victoria's mate James. The Cullens had ripped him apart and burned the pieces, and Bella had barely escaped with her life. She couldn't help but flash back to that time and feel the fear wash over her all over again. It was such a similar situation. What if something went wrong? She couldn't help but dwell on the possibility, and it left her wishing that Jasper was nearby, just this once, to help soothe some of her fears.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." she groaned, and she pushed herself up from the couch and ran to the nearest bathroom.

Bent over the sink, Bella stared at her ghost-white reflection in the mirror and took a deep breath. Everyone kept telling her that everything was going to be alright, so why couldn't she believe it this time? She splashed a bit of water onto her face and raked her fingers through her hair, letting out a long sigh as she glanced up at her reflection again. "Get ahold of yourself, Bella..." she whispered to the reflection staring back at her. "They're right. Everything is going to be just fine..."

A soft buzzing from her back pocket broke her concentration, and Bella reached for her phone. The caller ID read 'Dad', and Bella answered the call without even thinking about it. "Dad, it's late. I promise you Edward isn't..."

"Edward isn't what?" The voice that answered wasn't the one she had been expecting, and in that moment, Bella felt her blood run cold. "You know, Bella, you really ought to have learned by now..."

Panic washed over her like a tidal wave, and Bella had to fight her shaking hands to keep from dropping her phone. "V-victoria..."

Bella's old red pick-up sat undisturbed in the driveway of the Swan residence. Emmett, Carlisle, and Jasper hid themselves in the trees near the house, watching and not making a sound. At nearly midnight, Chief Swan took off at a jog out his front door and got into his squad car before speeding away. The Cullens exchanged glances before Jasper picked up his phone and dialed Alice's number.

Several miles away at the Cullen residence, Alice's phone rang, vibrating across the living room coffee table until it fell to the floor. Alice picked it up and flipped it open. She knew who was going to be on the other end. She was silent for a moment while she listened to Jasper, and then her gaze flickered around the room, and settled on her adoptive mother.

"Is Bella still in the bathroom?" she asked, a note of worry lacing her voice.

Bella wasn't sure how she managed to steal away, but she did. As she sped down the highway with one hand on the wheel and the other clutching her phone, it occurred to her that she was heading straight into Victoria's trap, just as she had with James. The thought almost made her nauseous, but then she remembered what Alice had seen, and she pressed her foot to the accelerator with a bit more force, speeding down the road with little regard to traffic signals. Even if it was a trap, if she could save Charlie from Victoria, she didn't care.

The gym at Forks High School had been the location of the prom the previous year...the one that Edward had escorted her to after they got back from dealing with James in Arizona. Bella's memory flashed back to her time in the ballet studio with him and she cringed as she pulled into the parking lot. Her heart sank when she realized that her father's cruiser was already there, but she saw no one else at first. She pushed open the door of the Cullens' jeep and raced inside, her legs carrying her as fast as she could manage.

The gym was dark, and Bella felt another shiver pass over her as the door clicked closed behind her. With any luck, Alice and the others would already be on their way. At least, she hoped they were.

She took a deep breath and ran forward into the strange darkness, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. A few steps in, she hit something slick and slid to the ground, smacking her head against the gym floor with a sickening _crack_. For a moment, the world around her spun, but she fought off the nausea and tried to push herself to a sitting position. When her hand hit the floor, she grimaced. Something warm, wet, and sticky coated her palm. It was hard to see in the darkness, but as Bella crawled forward, she felt her heart fall into her stomach. She felt along the floor until her hand hit something firm.

When the light flickered on, it was blinding. Bella blinked back the pain in her eyes and the throbbing of her head, and it was only then that she realized what coated her hand and stained her clothes.

_Blood_.

"_D-daddy_!" Bella wasn't sure when she had last called him 'daddy'. She must have been a small child the last time she had done such a thing, but she couldn't control it now. Her worst fears were coming to fruition right in front of her eyes. She had been too late. She had failed him. She had failed.

Charlie's eyes were fixed toward the ceiling. He suffered from a deep gash across his abdomen. His boy lay still in a pool of his own blood. Bella laced her fingers with his as she looked him over, fear giving way to panic and anger as his face lost its color. He was dying right in front of her, and there was nothing that she could do.

"I figured that your mate would be well-protected...so I decided to find another way to make you suffer before you died." It was Victoria's voice, and as Bella clung to Charlie's hand, she felt another wave of nausea overtake her. Beside her, Charlie's complexion was starting to mirror the Cullens'. Bella rested her head on his chest as his breathing slowed, tears racing down her cheeks. She heard his final exhalation of breath, and then he was still.

"Drive _faster_." Alice hissed, gripping Esme's arm with enough force that she could have broken it were Esme human. "I can't believe I didn't see... She pulled the same shit... Hurry _up_, Esme!" The tiny vampire was usually quite a bit more composed, but in the wake of her most recent revelation, she couldn't help but panic.

"The car can only go so fast. We're almost there..." Esme said, as calmly as she could manage.

"Is this where he bit you, Bella?" Victoria's voice was sickeningly sweet, and her blood-stained hands gripped Bella's wrist so tightly that she was almost certain it would shatter under the force. Bella didn't look the red-headed vampire in the face, and her other hand stayed locked with her father's.

"I... I don't..." Bella's voice broke and she let out a soft sob as she looked over her father's features once more.

"It is, isn't it?" Victoria smirked, pleased with herself, and turned Bella's wrist quickly. There was a loud _snap_, and Bella screamed, writhing in response to the pain. "I want to see what the big deal is..." Victoria's voice was the only thing that Bella was aware of as a sudden white-hot pain surged through her wrist, all the way down to her fingertips. She was aware of nothing else but the pain as Victoria drank, and didn't notice when the door flew from its hinges.

"Shit!" It was Jasper's voice that made itself known first.

Emmett charged forward, pulling Victoria away from Bella and sending her flying across the gym and into the opposite wall. Carlisle ran and slid to his knees beside Bella. His phone was in one hand, and he took Bella's wrist in the other. "I'm here, Bella. We're here. Hold on..." A pause. Carlisle spoke into his phone. "The gym." Another pause. "No... There's nothing I can do for Charlie."

The voice on the other end boomed through the receiver. "Where is Bella?"

Carlisle was silent a moment as he regarded Bella, writing on the floor. He raked his fingers through her hair in an effort to comfort her, although he knew nothing would help. "Son... Bella's been bitten. There's... We can't..."

"What do you mean _you can't_?"

Alice, Rosalie, and Esme burst through the door and joined the fray with Victoria. Carlisle was vaguely aware of the cracking noises as his wife and adopted children tore Victoria to pieces. He remained with Bella, his eyes wide with concern. Edward remained on the line, and Carlisle kept his phone pressed tightly to his ear.

"Victoria is being taken care of..." He reported. Bella's blood-curdling scream tore through the air, and he cringed. "We have to... We'll take care of this. Get home as quickly as you can. Bella is... She's really going to need you." Another scream was cut off when Carlisle hit the 'end' button on his phone. He gathered Bella up into his arms and raced for the door, Bella kicking and thrashing all the while.

Jasper was already looking for a way to start a fire.

Carlisle stopped at the door, and the rest of the Cullen clan looked up as he spoke.

"It has to look like an accident," he said, his voice so quiet that he knew they would be the only ones to hear.

Jasper glanced up, his expression strained. "Gas leak?"

"I'm on it..." Rosalie announced, and she took off.

Carlisle loaded a kicking and screaming Bella into the front seat of her truck and slid in next to her. A few moments later, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Esme raced from the building. Emmett climbed into the back of Bella's red pick-up truck with Jasper, their faces sullen. Esme and Alice jumped into their car. Rosalie was the last one out of the building. The cars sped away towards the Cullen household. The explosion seemed to rock the ground. Windows burst and spoke and flames billowed from the building. Forks High School was up in smoke before the Cullens made it back to their driveway.

"This is all my fault..." Alice stammered as she climbed out of the car. "I should've seen... This is all my fault."

Bella's screams interrupted Alice's train of thought, and the tiny vampire cringed as Carlisle gently pulled the writhing Bella from the truck. "It's b-burning!" she screamed, her eyes wide. No matter what she tried, nothing seemed to ease the pain that coursed through her body now. "Ed-Edward... Daddy... It _burns_..."

Rosalie looked away, her expression pained, and hurried into the house.

"It's too late to stop the change from happening now..." Esme pointed out what they all knew. "Get her inside, Carlisle. How long until Edward gets here?"

Carlisle shook his head. "It won't be too long. He wasn't too far off when I spoke to him..."

"He's going to kill me..." It was Alice again.

Jasper shook his head. "Edward knows how your visions work. He knew that there was a possibility that something like this could happen and he..." Another one of Bella's screams cut his sentence short. He swallowed a lump in his throat and continued, his gaze resting on Bella's thrashing form in Carlisle's arms. "He'll forgive you, Alice. At least we got there before Victoria could do what she _really_ wanted to do..."

"I'm not sure Edward will see it that way, Jasper..." Came Alice's voice, small and broken as she looked on her best friend.

"We can't worry about that right now," Carlisle broke into the conversation. "Everyone get inside, pack a bag, and then meet me out here. We need to disappear for a few days if we're going to pull this off."

"But what about Edwa-"

"I'll call him. We'll meet him half way."

"Do you have a plan?" It was Esme.

Carlisle looked up and tightened his grip on the thrashing girl in his arms. "Grab a few tents from the garage and throw them into the back of Bella's truck. We'll meet Edward and come back on Monday, just like Bella was supposed to..."

"What about the blood lust, Carlisle?" Jasper met his adoptive father's gaze, his own dark eyes clouded with worry.

He shook his head. "We'll do what we've got to do, Jasper. I'm making this up as I go along. I wasn't expecting... I wasn't expecting anything like this." Carlisle's expression was clouded with a mixture of worry and fear as he regarded his family. "We'll do what we've got to do."

"What about the treaty?"

"We didn't break it. Victoria did. Hopefully they'll understand..."

Alice raked her fingers through her hair as she tried to calm herself. "This is bad. This is so bad. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." she whispered, her gaze locked on Bella. "I'm so sorry..."

**A/N:** Sorry about the way this one has to end guys, but the next chapter will be up soon, I promise. Please review and let me know what you think so far. Next chapter will be up tomorrow or the next day. Had to pay a bit of homage to the first book in this one. Hope you all liked it. Reviews are greatly appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Here's chapter four! Nine hours down at the greyhound station, and four more to go, so I figured why not keep writing while the ideas are in my head? Reviews are greatly appreciated.

**Summary:** Alice sees something that could ruin the future for Edward, Bella, and the Cullen clan, but her visions are subjective. Can they stop the tragedy before the world comes crashing down, or will they be too late? WARNING: Character death in later chapters. Rated M for later chapters.

**Shattered**

_Chapter Four_

_Bella took a deep breath and ran forward into the strange darkness, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. A few steps in, she hit something slick and slid to the ground, smacking her head against the gym floor with a sickening crack. For a moment, the world around her spun, but she fought off the nausea and tried to push herself to a sitting position. When her hand hit the floor, she grimaced. Something warm, wet, and sticky coated her palm. It was hard to see in the darkness, but as Bella crawled forward, she felt her heart fall into her stomach. She felt along the floor until her hand hit something firm. _

_When the light flickered on, it was blinding. Bella blinked back the pain in her eyes and the throbbing of her head, and it was only then that she realized what coated her hand and stained her clothes. _

_Blood. _

"_D-daddy!" Bella wasn't sure when she had last called him 'daddy'. She must have been a small child the last time she had done such a thing, but she couldn't control it now. Her worst fears were coming to fruition right in front of her eyes. She had been too late. She had failed him. She had failed. _

_Charlie's eyes were fixed toward the ceiling. He suffered from a deep gash across his abdomen. His boy lay still in a pool of his own blood. Bella laced her fingers with his as she looked him over, fear giving way to panic and anger as his face lost its color. He was dying right in front of her, and there was nothing that she could do. _

"_I figured that your mate would be well-protected...so I decided to find another way to make you suffer before you died." It was Victoria's voice, and as Bella clung to Charlie's hand, she felt another wave of nausea overtake her. Beside her, Charlie's complexion was starting to mirror the Cullens'. Bella rested her head on his chest as his breathing slowed, tears racing down her cheeks. She heard his final exhalation of breath, and then he was still._

Vampires didn't need to sleep. It was supposed to be one of the perks, but Bella didn't see it quite that way. Even though she couldn't sleep, every time she closed her eyes, she saw it. She saw him, his expression blank, staring up at the ceiling, his skin unnaturally pale...

She hated it, and she hated herself for failing him as she did. The problem was, now that she was one of them, a vampire, it was a lot harder to end her suffering than she would have thought. Perhaps that had been Victoria's plan all along? Of course, she would never know. The Cullens had destroyed any trace of Victoria. Her father's death had been ruled an accident, and Bella... Bella had to deal with all of it while dealing with her new condition as well. She spent the first week after her return to Forks shut up in her bedroom at her strangely empty home. Edward was watching over her constantly, but everyone else seemed content enough to stay away at first.

The wolves stayed away too, Jacob included. Bella missed her friend, but at the same time, she wasn't sure she could handle seeing him after what had happened. She couldn't even blink without seeing it again, and the horrible part was that she hadn't been there for him. If she had gotten there sooner, she could have stopped it. Charlie would still be alive. At least, that is what she kept telling herself.

After the funeral, Bella packed up her things and boxed up Charlie's things and moved into the Cullens' home. It was easier than sitting alone in the house that had once been occupied by her and her father, but even the Cullens' company didn't seem to ease the aching in her heart. Alice and Edward did their best to keep her occupied, teaching her to hunt, talking to her, lending a shoulder when she needed one. Bella had never felt quite like this before, and she didn't know what to do. There was nothing that seemed to make it any better.

In a way, Victoria had gotten her revenge, even in death.

"Bella?' It was Edward's voice that broke through her thoughts.

She looked up, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. She met his gaze. That seemed to be all the encouragement that he needed to continue with his line of thought.

"Are you alright?" He paused, and Bella could see it written all over his face. He was mentally kicking himself. "Of course you're not alright. I mean... How are you? I wish there was something that I could do. I'm sorry I wasn't there..." Edward ran his fingers through his hair and sucked in a deep, unnecessary breath. "I'm just so glad that you came out of it. I don't know what I would have done..."

Bella shook her head. "Edward, I..."

"If I had been there, I could have done something..."

"I don't blame you." Bella's voice was soft as she met his gaze again. She hugged herself. "I was stupid enough to fall for it and I should have known better. James pulled the same stunt, and I went running..."

"Bella, Charlie showed up there for you. She tricked you both. It wasn't anyone's fault but hers, and now she's _dead_ and she'll never hurt anyone else ever again."

Bella let out a low growl and gripped the window sill so hard that the wood splintered underneath her fingertips. "That doesn't change the fact that Charlie..."

"I know, baby..." Edward whispered, and Bella's expression fell. She felt a strong pair of arms encircle her, and she let out a forced sigh, her gaze focused out the window even as she leaned back against Edward.

"It hurts..." she finally whispered, her voice as broken as the rest of her felt. "It hurts, and I don't know what to do. I've never... I've never had to do anything like this, and I don't know how to... I'm so angry, Edward. All the time..." She chewed her bottom lip as she tried to calm herself. She could see the reflection of a third person in the window, and she shifted in Edward's arms to meet Alice's gaze.

"It never goes away," Alice offered. "It never really goes away, but it does get better with time."

Time. That was something that Bella had a lot of now. Ironically, that was Victoria's doing as well. The one person who had taken what mattered most from her was also the one who granted her the one thing she had wanted for so long. It was ironic, really.

"Thanks, Alice..." Bella whispered.

The Cullens kept her busy, and she was thankful for that. Between learning how to hunt and coming into her new abilities, Bella didn't have too much time to wallow in self-pity or focus on the hole left in her heart by the death of her father. Although she couldn't really do anything to escape the memories, she eventually started to feel a little better. Graduation came and went. The students of Forks High School celebrated their graduation at the tiny town hall building while construction crews worked to repair and rebuild after the fire damage at the school.

Bella was glad to graduate. The senior class of Forks High School gathered in the town hall building and then mingled outside under and overcast sky. It was different not having Charlie there to cheer for her, but Carlisle and Esme provided a wonderful cheering section. Afterward, Bella made a trip to the cemetery to visit her father's grave.

She rested her yellow graduation cap atop his headstone and took a deep breath. Above her head, the clouds were beginning to lose their battle with the sunlight, and the newborn vampire cursed under her breath as she darted for the safety of the trees.

Bella hadn't heard that voice in a long time, but she recognized it immediately.

"What in the _hell_ did you blood-suckers do to Bella?" Jacob screamed. He stood nose to nose with Carlisle, who looked quite a bit calmer than he did. Bella stepped up to stand behind the man, but said nothing at first. He must have seen her at the cemetery. It was the only thing that really made any sense.

Carlisle shook his head. "We didn't do anything, Jacob. Victoria did. I was under the impression that you knew that already, seeing as there hasn't been an entire pack of wolves on my doorstep since the incident." Carlisle forced a deep breath and held Jacob's gaze. "We arrived too late to save Charlie, and when we got there, the red head had already bitten Bella. We couldn't reverse the change..."

"Bull shit! You did it once before!"

"That was different!" Bella snapped, her eyes narrowing on her friend. "You weren't there, Jacob! You weren't there! You don't know!" Her voice was much louder than she meant it to be, and before she could realize what was happening, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She was surprised when she glanced back and saw that the hand belonged to Rosalie.

Jacob looked taken aback that Bella had yelled at him like that. He blinked several times before he regained his bearings and let out an indignant huff of frustration. "It's still a violation of the treaty." he growled out.

"Surely under the circumstances..." Carlisle started.

Jacob's eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward. It would have been hard to slip even a sheet of paper between himself and Carlisle, but Carlisle didn't seem to want to back down either. Still, he remained calm, the picture of control as Jacob bit back at him.

"We'll see about that!" he hissed. "You _know_ what the treaty says. No killing humans, and no turning. Charlie Swan is _dead_, Carlisle. And Bella's even worse off than he is!"

"Jacob!" Bella's eyes widened, but just as soon as the anger flared up, she felt a surge of calm wash over her. Damn Jasper and his timing.

Carlisle was still not phased. "We weren't the guilty party, Jacob, and we disposed of the problem in the only way that we could. Victoria is gone now. We weren't the ones who killed Chief Swan, and no one in my family bit Bella. We made an egregious mistake in miscalculating the red-head, but we did what we could, and..."

Another low growl burst forth from deep within Jacob's chest. Bella felt Rosalie's grip tighten considerably on her shoulder, but neither of them made a move. Jacob's gaze narrowed on Carlisle for a moment before it shifted to Bella. Just as soon as he met her gaze, he looked away, disgust on his face.

"Jacob..." she whispered. "Don't do this. Please?"

He shook his head, and Bella's shoulders fell. The final words he spoke before stomping off of the Cullens' porch and running off into the woods echoed through Bella's mind, another nightmare to dwell on. "It's not up to me anymore, Bella..."

Rosalie narrowed her eyes as Jacob stomped away and stepped forward to close the door. It latched with a soft _click_ and Rosalie spun in her heels, her gaze finding her adoptive father's. "Does this mean what I think it means?" she asked, her voice low. Her gaze flickered to Bella for an instant, but Bella wasn't sure what she saw in her eyes. "You don't honestly think that the stupid dogs would..."

"I certainly hope not..." Carlisle whispered, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. We need to have a family meeting. We have to decide what we're going to do if this goes badly."

"Badly?" Bella repeated. Just when she thought that things couldn't get any worse than they already had...

**A/N:** Oh, so it looks like the Cullens and the wolves might have a bit of a...problem in the future. Like I said, this story doesn't exactly follow canon, but there are definitely canon elements there. What do you think will happen with the wolves? Will the Cullens be held responsible for Victoria's shenanigans? You have to wait for the next chapter to find out! Thanks for reading so far. Reviews are greatly appreciated!


End file.
